swift



2 SheetsSheet I. W. H. SWIFT. STREET GAR SIGN APPARATUS.

(No Model.)

Patented Nov. 5, 1895.

INVEIN'T'UR;

WITNE SES:

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

W. H. SWIFT. STREET GAR SIGN'APPARATUS.

Patented Nov. 5, 1895.

INVENTEIFi ANDRM 5.6RAHAM. PHOTOUTHQWASHINGTUN. D C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM H. SWIFT, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JOHN H. MCGRADY, OF SAME PLACE.

STREET-CAR-SIGN APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 549,469, dated November 5, 1895. Application filed December 10, 1894:. Serial No. 531,334. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. SWIFT, of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Street-Car-Sign Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to sign apparatus for street-cars, and has in view the provision of practical means of connection between a plurality of rotatable signs on a car, whereby the turning of one sign turns all the others.

The invention has further in view the provision of convenient means for operating the apparatus and also an improved construction for lighting the signs.

An embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 shows a top plan view of a streetcar equipped with my improvements. Fig. 2 shows a side elevation of the upper portion of a car. Fig.3 shows a sectionalized front elevation of one of the end signs and its con nections. Fig. 4: shows a bottom plan View of an indicator and handle located under the roof of the car. Fig. 5 shows a detail of gearing connecting the end and side signs. Fig. 6 shows a perspective view of parts appearing at the left of Fig. 3, a certain casing being represented as broken away and the cover of the same raised. Fig. 7 shows a section on line 7 7 of Fig. 6.

The letters a and b designate the two end signs and c and d the side signs. Each sign is composed of a number of panels detachably fastened to heads 6 by means of turn-buttons 6, (see Fig. 6,) which are entered through slots '6 in the panels and then turned at right angles to the slots. Each sign is arranged to rotate in standards f, erected 011 the roof of the car. The journals f of the signs are hollow, and pipes 9 pass loosely through them to the interior of the sign, where they support incandescent lamps g. The pipes g are bent downward and fastened to the roof of the car, and the electric conducting-wires pass through these pipes to the lamps g. On one journal of one of the end signs there is affixed a bevel-gear h, which meshes with a bevelgear 77/ on the upper end of a shaft 71?, which is journaled in an elongated bearing 72, fastened to the roof of the car. The said shaft extends through the roof and carries on the under side of the same an arm 1', to which there is pivoted a handle i, which is normally pressed upward by a spring 2' for engagement with notches j in the flange of an indicatorj,

which surrounds the boss of the arm z'and is on the sign, so that the position in which the' sign is left can be determined by the indicator. The opposite journal of this end sign has affixed to it a bevel-gear k, which is in mesh with a similar gear is on one end of a shaft which extends longitudinally of the car to the other end sign, with which this shaft is connected by miter-gearing in the same manner as with the opposite end sign.

One side sign is connected with the shaft 10 by means of a sprocket-chain m, engaging a sprocket wheel m on said shaft and a sprocket-wheel m on the journal of the side sign. The other side sign d is connected in the same manner with a shaft 02, extending longitudinally of the car and connected by bevel-gearing with the end sign b. The particular means of connection between the side signs and the end signs is of advantage, because the sprocket-chains will adjust themselves to cars of different build.

The bevel-gearing and the sprocket-chains are protected by casings o and 0, fastened to the standards which support the signs. The gear-casings have removable covers 0 giving ready access to the gears for purposes of cleaning or repairs.

It will be seen that through the connection of gearing described all the signs will be turned when the handle 2" is operated.

In many cars now in use the side portions of the roof, where the side signs 0 d are located, are considerably lower than the end portions of the roof, where the end signs a b are located. It will be seen, therefore, that the sprocket-gearing connecting the side signs with the shafts 10 0i, geared directly to the end signs, compensates for said difierence and enables the side signs to be located as much below the level of the end signs as the conformation of the roof may require. The system of connections comprising the longitudinal shafts 70 11 and the sprocket-gearing connectin g said shafts with the side signs enables the sign-connecting mechanism to be kept within the limits of the roof of the car and prevents the projection of the said mechanism at the corners of the roof, which would be necessary if the shafts of the side signs were connected directly to the shafts of the end signs by bevel-gears, as heretofore.

\Vhat I claim as my invention is as follows:

1. In a car-sign apparatus, the combination of a rotatable end-sign, a shaft in gear therewith and extending longitudinally of the car, a rotatable side-sign out of alignment with said shaft, sprocket-wheels on the said shaft and the journal of the side-sign respectively,

a sprocket-chain engaging said wheels, and a protecting covering or casin g over said wheels and chain.

2. In a street car sign apparatus, the combination of standards fixedly mounted on the roof of the car and having bearings at their upper ends, a sign having hollow journals extending through said bearings, stationary pipes rising from the car-roof and passing through said journals to the interior of the sign, incandescent lamps mounted on the inner ends of said pipes, and conducting wires for said lamps inolosed by said pipes.

In testimony whereof I have sign ed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, this 5th day of December, A. D. 1894:. 7

WM. I'l'. SWIFT.

iVit-nesses:

C. F. BROWN, F. P. DAVIS. 

